Enhancing the Peanut Value Chain, from Processing to Marketing Peanuts and Peanut Products

Approach

The goals of this project were to provide the consumer and market surveys relevant to the team to produce a consumer preference database on which to base peanut products targeted for technology development or improvement as part of the University of Georgia team.

Achievements

The HC collaborating principal investigators in Ghana and Uganda were identified. Information from the Southeast Asia program and published in the Peanut CRSP Monographs and in scientific journals will be used. Identification of potential marketing opportunities for these peanut-based products was continuing with survey instruments, including questionnaires to find out what peanut foods are of most interest to the consumers. The importance of the surveys was to build a baseline to develop a market-pull emphasis of consumer desires, accomplished through collaboration with the food manufacturers. Protocol training for the surveys was carried out. The surveys involved more than 1000 households in both Ghana and Uganda to directly identify market opportunities for new and modified peanut products. The summary of the survey results from Uganda showed the overwhelming preference for peanuts and peanut products; 98% liked them, 92% would eat more if they could, and a 97% preference for peanut paste/butter. Ghana preference was for peanut butter use in soups, while Uganda preference was as peanut butter, which will affect the direction of research in the two countries. Moreover, the surveys showed a strong support for development and use of vitamin A fortified peanut butter (40% of children in the Sub-Saharan Africa and other countries are reported as deficient in vitamin A, which among other things affects eye-sight). Market diversity of products was identified as a concern and aflatoxin content of peanuts was a major problem. Foreign material and rancidity are quality problems identified, along with thickness or viscosity (stabilization) of peanut butter. Based on questionnaires, plans were made to develop three nutritionally enhanced foods, vitamin A fortified and stabilized peanut butter, stabilized peanut butter and chocolate-peanut butter spread. In addition, the project has identified nutritious peanut cookies and fiber-enhanced peanut butter and peanut soup.